Bob McDonald

9.2

Delectable - this is the Sami Odi Our Hill Cuvée. Notes later. 2021 vintage. This is the 2nd ever vintage of Our Hill from Sami-Odi from Shiraz grapes grown in the Eden Valley. The 3rd vintage released earlier this year only had a production of around 280 bottles (weather problems - hail) and sold out in under 30 minutes. I missed out. Delectable has done well to recognise this bottle - very cryptic even on Fraser McKinley’s highly cryptic labelling standards. I made a note of the first Our Hill about 93 weeks ago. All whole bunch vinification. Quite rich for an Eden Valley Shiraz. Interestingly Fraser says “Our Hill “ is best enjoyed over the next few years in its youth (finest on the day of opening) contrary to the old vine Hoffmann wines. Reminiscent of Henschke Mount Edelstone in some respects without the longevity of Edelstone probably. Delicious nonetheless. — 2 months ago

Mitzi 'Perko' Piepho

9.0

Thanksgiving 2023 from Sami — 4 months ago

Andrew McIntyre

9.4

Loved this wine and enjoyed it more than the "little wine." Levels of complexity with fruits and baking spices. Bit of smoke at the beginning and this kept changing over the course of drinking. Impressive showing! — 9 months ago

Natasha Phillips

10

Had at Wally’s with Sami and Jess delish — a year ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

A blend of 6 vintages - 2020 (51%), 2019 (31%), 2018 (3%), 2017 (8%), 2016 (5%), and 2015 (2%). From the Hoffmann’s Dallwitz vineyard. 6327 bottles filled. Aromatics of old vine Barossa Shiraz. The fruit is so plush and ample together with liquorice, chocolate, blue fruits, and spices that it masks the M plus tannins. I note that Fraser likes to taste these Little Wines “when primal and vital, a year or two after vintage “. I totally agree. I have tasted Little Wines with over 5 years of cellaring and find that you are giving up that freshness and vitality for a limited increase in savoury profile. The secondary value of Sami-Odi wines have increased dramatically in recent years. I paid $55 per bottle on release and note that United Cellars are now selling for $325. All the more annoying when I broke a bottle unpacking the tricky little cartons of 3 when I received them. The odd 4 letter word was uttered!!! Therefore I have one left for future enjoyment. — 3 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Great to try a 10 year old Sami-Odi. The ripe fruit quality from very old vines is so rich, luscious and alluring there doesn’t seem to be any point in keeping these wines for 15 to 20 years until they develop savoury characters. Colour is dense, dark and impenetrable. Plummy notes on the palate with a little chocolate (see previous Delectable note). Trademark silky tannins. Back Story on the Vineyard: Dallwitz Old is the Hoffmann vineyard’s oldest and most highly prized block - sown by Oscar Falland between 1888 and 1912 on land that at the time belonged to the Dallwitz family. The 2.12 hectares are farmed solely by the Hoffmann family and have been tenderly cared for each season since they began share farming it for the Dallwitz’s in the 1920’s (the Hoffmann’s later acquired it in the 1940s). 3074 bottles were filled. Unusually for the top Cuvée from Sami-Odi this one comes from a single vintage in 2013. — 6 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Nothing to add to my previous note of May 11, 2019 nearly 3 years ago. I must admit I don’t see a lot of savoury development with time in cellar. They are delicious when you first open them and 3 years later, much the same with that solid core of old vine fruit and silky tannins still dominating proceedings. — 2 years ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.5

Quite stubborn after pop n pour. Black olive, ink and coffee grounds. Check tomorrow whether balance is restored. — 4 months ago

Andrew McIntyre

9.3

Another Aussie Syrah. This one completely different to the brooding depth of a Penfolds. Fresh and fruity with blackberry jam and a saline finish. Little bit of menthol and pepper rounds this off. Lovely wine but slightly overpriced — 4 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

Dense purple/black in the glass - opaque. Not giving much on the nose initially following decanting. Needed vigorous swirling. Barossa plum, prune and earth. Very full bodied on the palate. Quite concentrated. A very big wine in comparison to many other Sami-Odi Cuvées I’ve had over the years. HH said It needs ages (“drinking window of 2018 to 2041 - over extracted?)” I tend to think the difficult vintage conditions in 2014 as explained by Fraser is the reason. Harvest was a full 2 months later than normal - harvesting the 2nd shooting of the vines during the first 2 weeks of April. Yielding only 274 dozen. This wine has a long cellaring future. An element of tannic astringency which is more a result of the size of the wine. This is the first of 3 bottles I purchased in 2016. It will be many years before I have the next one. — 9 months ago